What Is Quinoa 1. Creative Recipes  Readers Digest. Basic Quinoa Recipei. Stockphoto Thinkstock. Pronounced keen wah, this protein packed grain contains every amino acid, and is particularly rich in lysine, which promotes healthy tissue growth throughout the body. Quinoa is also a good source of iron, magnesium, vitamin E, potassium, and fiber. It looks a bit like couscous and is as versatile as rice, but quinoa has a richer, nuttier flavor than either of them. Quinoa seeds have a naturally bitter coating to deter birds that must be soaked off before preparing. Packaged quinoa has likely been pre soaked, but check before cooking. To cook it, soak 1 cup quinoa in 2 cups water for 5 1. Drain and rinse. Pour into a pot and add 1 12 cups of water and a half teaspoon of salt. Boil, then cover with a tight fitting lid. Simmer for 1. 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes, covered. Fluff with a fork and serve. Quinoa can be eaten on its own as a side dish, with a bit of butter or oil, salt and pepper, or other seasonings. It also makes a great breakfast dish mixed with dried fruit, cinnamon, milk, and maple syrup or honey. Paired with chili, stir fries, beans or curries, quinoa is a healthy substitute for rice, and it also makes a tasty pilaf. As a main course, use it to make meat free burgers, mix it into stews or toss it into salads. Quinoa works as a baking grain as well, and makes for delicious and nutritious breads and muffins. Click for more ideas. This proteinpacked grain looks a bit like couscous, is as versatile as rice, and tastes delicious on its own or in these quinoa recipes. What-Is-Quinoa-.jpg' alt='What Is Quinoa' title='What Is Quinoa' />What Is Quinoa In TamilCrunchy Cashew Thai Quinoa Salad. Courtesy of Ambitious Kitchen. This Asian inspired dish from Ambitious Kitchen incorporates peppers, carrots, onions, and cilantro into her version, but feel free to experiment. Enchilada Chicken Quinoa Stuffed Bell Peppers. Courtesy of Ambitious Kitchen. Roasted bell peppers from Ambitious Kitchen are stuffed with quinoa, chicken, red enchilada sauce, cheese, and spices in this satisfying Mexican themed dish. Content continues below ad. Shrimp and Vegetable Quinoa Fried Rice. Courtesy of Alyssa Rimmer. This healthified version of shrimp fried rice on Queen of Quinoa suggests sauting the veggies in water instead of oil. Quinoa is full of protein, nutritious, easy to digest and glutenfree. Find out how to cook with quinoa with these tips from Food Network. In general, quinoa is a healthy substitute for rice and makes a tasty pilaf. Dark Chocolate Quinoa Cookies. Courtesy of Alyssa Rimmer. The secret to the rich flavor of these cookies on Queen of Quinoa is a half cup of cocoa powder with chocolate chunks folded into the batter. Rosemary Quinoa Turkey Meatballs. Courtesy of Alyssa Rimmer. Quinoa functions as the perfect binder in these protein filled turkey meatballs from the blog Queen of Quinoa. The recipes good for you factor is boosted by the use of spaghetti squash in place of pasta, but you could serve these with whatever you like. Content continues below ad. Blueberry Chocolate Chip Quinoa Pancakes. Courtesy of Ambitious Kitchen. Quinoa and Greek yogurt amp up protein in these pancakes from the blog Ambitious Kitchen. On its own, quinoa also makes a great. Quinoa, Fruit, and Nut Protein Bars. Courtesy of Almonds and Avocados Blog. These healthy quinoa based snacks from the blog Almonds Avocados incorporate many nutrient rich foods like bananas, Medjool dates, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and almond butter. This recipe also forgoes processed sugar, unlike many store bought protein bars. Southwestern Quinoa Bites. Courtesy of So Very Blessed. These quinoa bites from the blog So Very Blessed combine quinoa with black beans, frozen corn, and onion and bake up easily in a muffin tin. Content continues below ad. Quinoa Stuffed Eggplant. Courtesy of Adventures in Cooking. These stuffed eggplants from the blog Adventures in Cooking make use of simple ingredients that draw out the best in eggplants flavor, like mint and oregano. No Bake Brown Butter Quinoa Bars. Courtesy of How Sweet It is. From the blog How Sweet It Is, satisfy a dessert craving with no bake bars filled with quinoa, oats, almonds, flaxseed, and chocolate chips. Content continues below ad. Quinoa Chocolate Chip Zucchini Breakfast Cookies. Courtesy of Healthful Pursuit. From the blog Healthful Pursuit, these vegan and gluten free delights are made with flour, maple syrup, vanilla extract and dairy free chocolate chips, with added nutrition from quinoa, zucchini, and flaxseed. Quinoa also works well for baking delicious and nutritious breads and muffins. Sesame Ginger Sweet Teriyaki Salmon with Garlic Quinoa Stir Fry. Courtesy of Ambitious Kitchen. The blog Ambitious Kitchen perks up a simple quinoa stir fry with fresh ginger and garlic. Apple Spice Quinoa Granola. Plain-quinoa-fsl.jpg' alt='What Is Quinoa Flour' title='What Is Quinoa Flour' />Courtesy of Sallys Baking Addiction. Granola from the blog Sallys Baking Addiction jazzes itself up with quinoa, apples, raisins, and more. Content continues below ad. Quinoa Cookie. Courtesy of Two Peas and their Pod. In these cookies from Two Peas and Their Pod, the quinoa adds a distinct crunchiness and protein boost. Benefits of Quinoa Daily Natural Remedies. Quinoa isnt just some hipster food, its actually incredibly nutritional and versatile. Its a grain thats grown and the seeds are eaten. Its not quite a grass and not quite a cereal, but its related to other healthy vegetables like spinach and beetroot. A common ingredient in vegetarian food, theres no reason why carnivores and herbivores alike cant enjoy quinoa. It can be served alongside meat, used in a wide range of cuisines, and it has a huge number of benefits. Here are the top ten reasons why you should start eating quinoa today. It has an amazing nutrient breakdown. Ny Times Cooking on this page. Ever wondered what quinoa actually offers you This is a breakdown of the nutritional value of quinoa. Each percentage relates to your recommended daily allowance and the quantity is just one cup. Potassium 9Zinc 1. Iron 1. 5Copper 1. Folate 1. 9Phosphorus 2. Magnesium 3. 0Manganese 5. The same cup also contain five grams of fiber and eight grams of protein. All of this is much more than youd get with a lot of other foods and it even gives you a vitamin boost containing vitamins B1, B2, B6, and E.